Steam-generator.



L. sTEINMfiLLBR. STEAM GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED 00T.1, 1912.

1 069 632. Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

3 SHEETSS HEBT l.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON n c L. STEINMI T LLER.

STEAM GENERATOR.

} APPLICATION IILBD OUT. 1, 1912.

1,069,632. Pa tented Aug. 5, 1913.

i iz mams L. sTEINMfiLLBR.

STEAM GENERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T.1, 1912.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3 COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH C0,,WAsH1NGTON, D. c.

LEBRECHT STEINMlj'LLER, 0F GUMMERSBACH, GERMANY.

STEAM-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au. 5,1913.

Application fiIed October 1, 1912. Serial No. 723,456.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnnnncnr STEINMI'JL- 'Lnn, a subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Gummersbach, Province of the Rhine, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in steam generators and particularly to steam generators of the type described in my prior United States Patent application Serial No. 651599 filed September 27th, 1911, in which the saturated steam, before it enters an intermediate heater arranged between the steam generator and the superheatcr, is supplied with water in order to increase the cooling effect of the steam passing through the intermediate heater upon the superheated steam utilized to heat up the heater.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for supplying water to the steam before it leaves the steam generator, and to provide means whereby the amount of water supplied to the steam may be automatically regulated according to the load put upon the steam generator, so that the final temperature of the steam is maintained constant within certain limits.

According to the present invention a tube or plurality of tubes is fitted in the water space of the upper drum of the steam generator, these tubes being so arranged as to supply water to the steam leaving the upper drum or to a chamber arranged in the steam space, from which chamber the water is supplied in a finely divided state to the steam leaving the upper water drum. The device is preferably also so constructed that the quantity of water supplied or mixed with the steam may be regulated.

in the case of steam generators having a plurality of upper water drums, the steam spaces of the latter may be connected together and a chamber may be provided in the steam space of the upper water drum of the less highly heated element into which open the tubes connecting the steam spaces, this chamber being adapted to collect water from the steam passing into the water drum of the less highly heated elementand being adapted to supply this water to the steam leaving the steam generator.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, whereon:

Figure 1 is a detail sectional view showing the application of my invention to an inclined water tube steam generator; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified form of my invention. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the upper drum of a steam generator showing a further modified form of my invention. Fig. a is a diagram graphically illustrating the variations in the water supply according to the different quantities of steam leaving the steam generator. Fig. 5 is a frag mentary vertical section through the upper part of a water tube steam generator having a plurality of upper water drums and showing a further modification of my invention. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line wcc of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings: in the water space of the upper drum 9 of a steam generator 11 and in a position there in where a sui'licient quantity of steam en ters from the front header 10 of the steam generator 11, is arranged a bell or like device 1 open below to the water space and provided preferably with a suitable slide valve 8 or the like for more or less closing said bell. Within the bell l and passing upwardly therethrough are one or more tubes 2 having open ends, the lower ends being preferably cut at an angle or beveled, these tubes 2 terminating at their lower ends at a suitable distance above the lower edge of the bell 1. These tubes 2 open at their upper ends either directly into the steam delivery pipe 5 or into a closed chamber 3 located in the steam space of the water drum 9 and surrounding said steam delivery pipe 5, this chamber 3 being provided with a series of orifices a or the like through which the water enters into and is entrained by the saturated steam passing through the steam pipe 5. In order to obtain a uniform flow of water through the orifices 4, the chamber 3 is put in communication with the steam space by way of an overflow pipe 6, so that the pressure existing in the chamber 3 is maintained constant,

thereby regulating the supply of water collected in the chamber 3 to the steam passing through the pipe 5.

It will be readily understood that the steam entering the hell 1 from the header 10 will force out the water therein to such an extent as to be capable of escaping through one or more of the tubes 2, taking water with it, which is collected in the chamber 3. It will be seen that if a considerable quantity of steam is generated, the steam entering the hell 1 would probably force out the water therein, until the tubes 2 were in direct communication with the steam in the bell l, in which case the steam would enter the chamber 3 without entraining water on its way. In order to obviate this possibility, the lower end of the bell 1 may be more or less closed by means of the valve 8 or, if desired, a tube 7 of greater capacity provided with a cap 7* may be arranged to connect the interior of the bell 1 with the steam space, so as to maintain a certain level of water in the bell 1. Should an excessive quantity of steam enter the bell 1, the steam will escape through the tube 7 while suflicient steam will escape through the tubes 2, whose lower ends should be arranged somewhat below the lower end of the tube 7, to supply the necessary amount of water to the chamber 3.

It is well known that the temperature of superheated steam from a steam generator increases according to the load put upon the latter, and it follows therefore that if the temperature of the superheated steam is to be maintained constant, it is necessary to supply an increased amount of water to the steam leaving the steam generator on an increase in the temperature of the steam and in the quantity of steam generated. In like manner, on a decrease in the load put upon the steam generator, less water will be required for the steam while in certain cases the temperature of the steam may be so low that no water requires to be mixed therewith.

Fig. 2 illustrates a slight modification of F 1 in which the chamber 3 is open above to the steam space and is provided with a series of small water tubes e leading from the lower part of the chamber 3 into the steam pipe 5. hen little load is put upon the steam generator comparatively little steam will enter the bell 1 from the header 10. Inasmuch as this steam flows at a comparatively slow rate through the tubes 2, little or no water will be entrained thereby but on increasing the load upon the steam generator the rate of flow of the steam will be increased and the amount of Water entrained thereby correspondingly increased so that the quantity of water supplied to the steam will increase in accordance with the increase in the load upon the steam generator. If the load exceeds a certain limit, the steam will enter the bell 1 to such an extent as to force the level of the water therein below the lower end of the tubes 2 so that steam will then be supplied to the chamber 3 without entraining water. This takes place when the pressure in the bell 1 corresponding to the head of water H is just sul'licient to overcome the resistance in the tube 2 which increases in proportion to the quantity or" steam and to the rate of tlow thereof. It will thus be seen that by the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2 the steam passing through the tube 2 will cease to entrain water on the load upon the steam generator exceeding a certain limit. The supply of water to the steam can also be Varied by providing tubes 2 of different cross sec tion or whose lower ends are cut at difierent angles, or whose lower ends are arranged at different heights in such a manner that one or more of the tubes 2 will supply water to the chamber 3 while one or more of the other tubes will be out of action. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 1. A plurality of bells 1 may be provided, as illustrated in Fig. 3, these bells being preterably in the for a of a single bell having a plurality of vertical partitions 12. Each of these bells 1 is provided with one or more tubes 2 which may be of diterent cross sectional area or of different length or cut away at d fferent angles at their lower ends in the manner hereinafter described and by arranging these bells 1 so as to be open more or less to the header 10, different amounts of steam may be supplied to the different bells 1.

Fig. 4 graphically illustrates the operation of my improved device, the ordinate O X representing .the quantity of steam in suitable units and the abscissa O Y representing the quantity of water supplied to the steam. Assuming that one of the tubes 2 commences to supply water to the chamher 3 when the quantity of steam generated is one unit and that the quantity of steam generated is increased, a curve may be obtained corresponding to the curve Z, the quantity of water supplied reaching its maximum at 2.7 and rapidly decreasing on an increased load on the boiler. It now, another of the tubes 2 is so arranged as to begin to supply water to the chamber 8 when the load is 2.6, a curve may be obtained corresponding to the curve Z when themaXimum quantity of water supplied will be 5.4. It now a third tube 2 commences to supply water when the quantity of steam g nerated corresponds to the unit t, a curve such as Z may be obtained, the resultant of these curves being a curve Z which gives an increase in the quantity of water supplied increasing with the amount of steam generated or supplied by way of the pipe 5. Any variations from the true curve Z of the quantity of water supplied, which may occur in practice, may be reduced to a minimum by increasing the number of tubes 2, so that the variations in the temperature of the superheated steam will be maintained within very narrow limits.

In the case of steam generators having a plurality of upper water tubes, it is necessary to connect the steam spaces thereof by connecting tubes of large cross section and these tubes may be utilized according to the present invention inasmuch as these tubes transmit comparatively large quantities of water from the upper drum of the most highly heated water tub-e elements to the upper drum of the less highly heated element. If these connecting tubes are arranged to open into a steam drying chamber in the steam space of the upper water drum of the less highly heated water tube element, the water entering therein with the steam from the connecting tubes will be separated and this water can be supplied to the steam leaving the steam generator. In this manner the whole of the water entrained by the steam from the more highly heated water tube elements can be utilized for humidifying the steam leaving the steam generator and the degree of humidity can be maintained uniform inasmuch as by the use of a steam drying chamber a certain supply of water is always available for humidifying the steam, which water supply, independently of the varying load put upon the steam generator, enables a uniform water supply to the steam leaving the steam generator. This construction is illustrated by way of example in Figs. 5 and 6. The upper water drums (Z and c are connected together by a plurality of connecting tubes 1". In the upper water drum 6 is fitted a drying chamber s into which the connecting tubes open. This chamber 8 is provided with an overflow outlet opening 8. The pipe 25 which connects the upper water drum 6 with the intermediate heater b, which is of the type de scribed in the specification of my aforesaid prior United States patent application, passes through the drying chamber 8. Water is supplied from the drying chamber 8 to the steam passing through the pipe t by way of small curved tubes 1; or through orifices as illustrated in Fig. 1. The steam passing through the pipe it enters the intermediate heater Z) and passes therethrough to the pipe 10 and from thence to the superheater, from which it returns by way of the pipe u and after heating the tubes of the heater 6 is supplied for use by way of the pipe w. The wet steam in the upper drum cl passes through the connecting tubes 7' into the drying chamber .9 where it is dried and the water separated, the overfi'ow outlet opening s serving to maintain a constant level of water in the drying chamber 8, this water being supplied by way of the pipes o to the steam passing out from the steam generator by way of the pipe 25. The dried steam passes out of the drying chamber 8 through the overflow outlet opening 8 into the upper drum 6 and if desired may be directly supplied to the superheater by way of the connecting pipe u. Should it happen that more water is carried over by the connecting pipes r into the drying chamber 8 than is necessary for humidifying the steam leaving by way of the pipe 75, the number of connecting pipes 7 opening into the drying chamber .9 may be reduced, or the said chamber divided off in such a manner that one compartment thereof retains water for humidifying the steam, while the other compartment merely constitutes a drying chamber. This may be effected by the provision of a partition .9 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, in which case the end wall 8 may be dispensed with.

When only a few connecting tubes r are adapted to supply water to the chamber s for the purpose of humidifying the steam, no overflow of water by way of the overflow outlet 8 will take place, as when little load is put upon the steam generator, little water will be supplied to the steam while on increased load, an increased quantity of water will be supplied. It will thus be seen that an automatic regulation of the supply of water is in this manner obtained and that the temperature of the superheated steam can thereby be maintained constant, even when the load put upon the steam generator varies.

I claim 1. In a steam generator having an upper water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, means for supplying water to the steam delivered through said pipe and for automatically regulating said water supply, comprising a water reservoir in the steam space of said water drum supplying water to the steam passing through said delivery pipe and a supply connection to said reservoir supplying steam and entrained water thereto from said steam generator.

2. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a steam collector located in the water space of said water drum and open below so as to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said steam delivery pipe and a tube leading from said water collector downwardly into said steam collector.

8. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a steam collector located in the water space of said water drum and open below so as to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said steam delivery pipe, a tube leading from said steam collector and a valve for more or less closing said steam collector.

4. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a steam collector located in the water space of said water drum and open below so as to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said steam delivery pipe, said water collector being in connection with said steam space, and a tube leading from said water collector downwardly into said steam collector.

5. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a steam collector located in the water space of said water drum and open below so as to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said steam delivery pipe, an overflow connection from said water collector into said. steam space, and a tube leading from said water collector downwardly into said steam collector.

6. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a steam collector located in the water space of said water drum and open below so as to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said steam delivery pipe, a tube leading from said water collector downwardly into said steam collector and a pipe opening from said steam space into said steam collector 'at a level above the lower end of said tube.

7. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a steam collector located in the water space of said water drum and open below so as to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said steam delivery pipe and a plurality of tubes leading fromsaid water collector into said steam collector and opening at different heights thereinto.

8. In a steam generator having a water drum and a steam delivery pipe leading therefrom, a plurality of steam collectors located in the water space of said water drum and open below to receive steam, a water collector in the steam space of said water drum and adapted to supply water to the steam passing through said delivery pipe and tubes connecting each of said steam collectors with said water collector.

9. In a steam generator having a plurality of water tube elements and a plurality of upper water drums connected thereto, connections between the steam spaces of said upper drums, a drying chamber in the upper water drum of the least highly heated water tube elements, said connections opening into said drying chamber, a steam delivery pipe leading from the drum containing said drying chamber and means for directing water from said drying chamber into the steam passing through said delivery pipe.

In testimony whereof I have afiiXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEBREOHT STEINMULLER. Witnesses HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

